Groundwater Woes 

By Andrea Peck

I broke my broom today. Don't worry, it was getting old and rotted on the inside. It lasted past its prime considering I had gotten it at the Dollar Store many moons ago.  I was sweeping when it broke and I was sweeping so hard that it snapped. After the rain last week, my outdoor areas are pretty mucked up with fallen leaves and grainy roof dregs. It would have been so easy to hose the area.

 Unfortunately I cannot.

Not because I've been given orders by the Order Givers or that my water is shut off for non-payment.  No, we do not have a broken pipe.

The truth is that I figured it out. With Google it's easy.

I know, I know, we all do it. We turn on the tap, the water flows and we think nothing about it. Here and there an inkling of a thought may scuttle across the highway of your cranium and you may wonder what lies beyond your kitchen sink. So often, though, that pesky thought is shooed into those dark cobwebby areas. How could these intrusive ideas not be eclipsed when there are more immediate deliberations, such as long, hot showers or tumbles of laundry vying for our attention? Oh, for clean pristine patios and driveways! Oh, for a shiny car!

But Those Who Know Better do not view these thoughts as brain fleas. Drought in California is a current issue, one in which we can all concede has had its effect. We look for green San Luis Obispo hills and the hills, my friend, are not Alive with the Sound of Music. Increased population and modern ways have depleted the groundwater into an abysmal state. Many experts fear the worst – we may never truly recover.

It's embarrassing to admit, but I guess I just really did not know what this meant for me. I know that the drought is bad and getting worse, but where do I fit into this Monopoly Board? How am I contributing to our water woes and how can I help?

Well, let me tell you what I found out.

After researching, I learned what we all should know. I learned where my water comes from. As a resident of Los Osos, all of my water comes from groundwater. There is no hidden benefactor, no huge pipeline that carries my water. My water, every drop, comes from the ground beneath my feet.

Golden State Water has a tidy, old school office located near the grocery store. I went to that office, wanting to know this: when I water my yard, does this water feed into the groundwater and eventually end up in a well? Unequivocally, the answer is yes.

But, I see clearly now that I am also using and wasting this precious water.  According to Golden State Water, approximately 5 feet of groundwater is lost per year. This has been happening for “many, many years.” To boot, water quality diminishes as the supply declines.

I challenge all of you out there to find out where your water comes from. Visit your water district and find out how you, as an individual, fit into the jigsaw puzzle.  Maybe then, we can all put the pieces together and come up with a sustainable solution.

Oh, yeah, and get a broom.

….to be continued…